Judge Dredd: Helter Skelter
by JamietheBastard
Summary: Judge Dredd: Helter Skelter. Investigating an apparent serial killing, Dredd discovers it was an execution made to look like the work of a random Thrill Kill Kult. Discovering a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of the Justice Department, the only Judges Dredd can trust implicitly are Anderson, Hershey and a Med Tek Judge named Harper.


Judge Dredd created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra.

Based on characters and situations from the graphic novels:

America: By John Wagner and Colin Macneil.

Democracy Now: By John Wagner, Garth Ennis, Jeff Anderson, John Burns.

Tale of the Dead Man: By John Wagner, Will and Wendy Simpson, Jeff Anderson.

Judge Dredd in Oz: By John Wagner, Brendan McCarthy, Alan Grant, John Higgins, Will Simpson, Barry Kitson.

The Dredd Screenplay: By Alex Garland.

I wanted to portray the character of Anderson as she is in the comics: Experienced, Cocky, Irreverent, Sarcastic, Darkly Humorous, so this is set ten years after the events in the Dredd film. Anderson has been on the streets for ten years and has evolved into the Anderson from the comics. I wanted to write a story based on the democracy storyline of the comics in the continuity of the film, as well as incorporating the black humour and satire of the comics.

This is the first story I have tried writing outside of the screenplay format, as I am learning how to write fiction and am having a bit of trouble with dialogue scenes these are written in screenplay format. I also tried to write it to be accessible to someone not familiar with Judge Dredd.

Judge Dredd: Helter Skelter.

2116\. Mega City One. The Big Meg. One of the few islands of civilisation adrift in the radioactive sea that is the Cursed Earth, the desert wasteland of post Atomic war North America. A City bursting at the seams, 90 percent unemployment, terminal boredom, 400 million people each one a potential perp, only the iron fist of the Justice Department keeps the City from exploding like a powder keg.

Justice. Sometimes Justice comes at a price. When you combine Justice with Order, Control and Rigid Discipline, many believe that price is too high. Freedom of Choice, Freedom of Speech, A Fair and Benevolent Constitution are things too valuable to forgo or forget even in the face of chaos. There are many pro Democracy activist groups in Mega City One, some are commited to peaceful protest in the true spirit of Democracy, some are Militant Terrorist cells involved in the bombing of Sector Houses, Judge Murder, and Justice Department database hacking incidents. Dredd has had many run ins with both types of Democrats, and in his opinion when people are given freedom of choice they generally don't know what the Drokk to do with it anyway. The Fascistic control of the Justice Department in the 22nd Century is the only safeguard against total anarchy and lawless chaos, and is the only force ensuring the continuing survival of post apocalypse Humanity.

Med - Tek Judge Harper had seen some pretty gruesome crime scenes before, but this had to be one of the worst he had attended in his 17 years as a Forensics Judge. The basement utilities sub - complex in Miley Cyrus Block was a slaughterhouse, dead bodies, seven, all horribly mutilated. The multitude of waste disposal pipes, electrical conduits, air - con ducts and heating units were painted in gore. On one plasticrete wall the words HELTER SKELTER were slashed in streaks of the victims blood. Med - Tek Forensic Judges are scouring the crime scene for D.N.A. and working on identifying the victims. To a hardened street Judge like Dredd it was just another crime scene, although Harper thought he had noticed a slight tightening of the lips, an almost undetectable intensifying of the permanent scowl Dredd wore, as the veteran street Judge inspected the murder scene.

Something catches Dredd's attention, a slight indentation in the steel casing of a waste disposal pump housing. Backtracking, he searches around the deck grating and finds a small object nearly out of sight under an electrical conduit junction housing. He picks up the object, a spent shell casing from a 10 mm Remington - Colt semi automatic. He approaches the senior Med - Tek Judge.

DREDD.

 _What have you got for me Harper?_

HARPER.

 _We've managed to I.D. two of the victims so far. No serious criminal convictions, no known or suspected gang or mob affilliations, no apparent connection between the two victims. It looks like a possible Thrill Kill Kult._

Dredd's radio activates.

CONTROL. V.O.

 _Control to Dredd, report to Justice Central A.S.A.P. Chief Judge McGruder needs to see you._

DREDD.

 _Acknowlegded Control, on my way._

Dredd gives the shell casing to Harper.

DREDD.

 _Run ballistics on this for me will you, It's probably nothing, a bored Citi - Def squad shooting rats, but it's in my crime scene._

Dredd ponders the crime scene for a few minutes. The Med - Tek Judge waits patiently.

DREDD.

 _Keep me informed Harper something smells about this case and it aint just the waste disposal._

HARPER.

 _Will do Dredd._

Dredd leaves the basement utilities sub - complex.

Justice Central, the 600 story edifice towers above the surrounding buildings. Dredd guides his rumbling V12 high performance Lawmaster bike onto the ramp leading to the underground parking facility. Parking his Lawmaster, he kicks down the bike's stand. Another Judge pulls up next to him, switching off her bike she dismounts, removes her helmet and places it on the bike's seat.

ANDERSON.

 _Dredd. So you're invited to this little party too? Any idea what it's all about?_

DREDD.

 _You're the psychic Anderson, you tell me._

ANDERSON.

 _Sorry Joe, nothing coming through, guess we'll just have to wait a few minutes._

Dredd just scowls, Anderson had developed a rather sarcastic sense of humour and an irreverent attitude to discipline in her years on the streets, Judges in the PSI Division were often a little eccentric, and this was tolerated because of their unique abilities. As it happened Anderson was one of only a handful of Judges that Dredd trusted implicitly, they had worked many cases together and Anderson had pulled Dredd's fat out of the fire on a few occasions. The two Judges enter a lift and push the button for the Justice Administration levels.

Anderson and Dredd enter Chief Judge McGruder's office. Awating them are the Chief Judge, Deputy Chief Judge Emerson , Street Judge Hershey, Tek Division Chief Judge Brody, PSI Division Chief Judge Shenker and Judge Niles head of the S.J.S., the Special Judicial Squad, the Judges hated Internal Affairs Department.

Just as any citizen, regardless of suspicion or evidence of criminal wrongdoing, is subject to random crime sweeps where Judges kick in their doors, usually in the early hours of the morning, and scrutinise the citizen's entire life. They rip apart his Hab - Unit, until they find evidence of some crime or misdemeanor no matter how trivial. Judges are also subjected to random crime sweeps by Special Judicial Squad teams, except they are hauled in, subjected to hours of interrogation, tortured, drugged, beaten and sleep deprived for days on end, and only released after being thoroughly cleared of any wrongdoing. Dredd had been on the receiving end of S.J.S. interrogations on a few occasions and has no respect for S.J.S. Judge Niles or his department, yet he knows they are a necessary evil, there were corrupt Judges on the force that needed to be rooted out and locked up, or executed depending on their level of corruption.

CHIEF JUDGE McGRUDER.

 _Cass, Joe. We've got a small crisis on our hands, Street Division Chief Judge Rutherford has announced his immediate retirement. This is entirely unexpected and couldn't have come at a worse time, the Council of Five is set to vote on the proposed relaxing of certain Mandatory Eugenics Expulsion laws at the next Council meeting on Friday, and the Muties Civil Advocacy groups are up in arms. Judge Rutherford's retirement leaves Street Division without a Department Chief and the Council without the power to vote until we can replace him._

Dredd being a Street Judge has no time for these political issues, but in his role as one of Mega City One's top Judges, occasionally he must participate in these trivial political meetings when he would rather be on the streets busting perps. He wasn't paying close attention to what the Chief Judge was saying, something about the serial killings at Miley Cyrus Block was still nagging at him but he couldn't pin down exactly what. Suddenly he realised eveyone's attention was on him, the half heard statement the Chief Judge had just made suddenly registered with him.

DREDD.

 _You want me to replace Rutherford as Department Chief?_

McGRUDER.

 _It's time you stepped up Joe, you've spent a lot of years on the streets, we could use a Judge with your experience on the Council._

DREDD.

 _I'm a street Judge, that's where I belong. I don't have the patience or the inclination for politics. I turn down the appointment. You have the perfect candidate right here, Judge Hershey is more than capable for the role._

McGRUDER.

 _Judge Hershey is a fine Judge and will certainly be offered the position when you retire, but she doesn't have your years of experience. There is no choice to be made Joe, we've already voted. You are now Chief Judge Street Division and a Council Member, you take up your new duties on Friday._ _Everybody dismissed._

Dredd, Anderson and Hershey take the elevator back down to the garage sub - level.

ANDERSON.

 _So Joe, moving up the ladder at last. First the Council of Five and then Chief Judge? I always knew you'd go far, who did you have to bribe?_

DREDD.

 _Can you tell what I'm thinking now Anderson?_

ANDERSON.

 _No. But judging by the scowl on your face, I might just shut up now._

Anderson grins, baiting Dredd was fun but she could push it too far occasionally, he wasn't known for his sense of humour at the best of times. She almost felt sorry for the next perp Dredd arrested.

HERSHEY.

 _Thanks for the nomination Dredd, but I don't think I'm quite ready to go into politics just yet. I'm just a simple street Judge at heart._

ANDERSON.

 _A simple street Judge who McGruder is grooming to be the next Chief Judge when she retires, Barbara my dear. Don't you agree Joe?_

Dredd doesn't reply, he's thinking about the implications of his promotion. The elevator reaches the garage sub - level and the three Judges walk to their bikes. The Judges mount their Lawmasters and head back out on patrol. Half an hour later Dredd receives a call from Justice Central

CONTROL. V.O.

 _Control to Dredd, we've got reports of a Skysurfer playing chicken with motorists on the George W. Bush Expressway._

DREDD.

 _Acknowledged Control, responding._

Dredd heads for the Expressway on - ramp.

Eight hours later Dredd is getting ready to finish his patrol. It had been a fairly uneventful shift, as well as the daredevil Skysurfer, Dredd had booked a pair of slabwalkers for soliciting, arrested an absconder from the Britney Spears Memorial Detox Center, shut down an out of control dance party at Michael Jackson Block, and finally, busted a Stookie Gland deal going down on Robert Downey Jr. Pedway. Time to pack it in for the night, thought Dredd as he checked his chronometer.

DREDD.

 _Dredd to Control, signing off shift, 2330 hours._

CONTROL. V.O.

 _Acknowledged Dredd. Patching through a call for you from Sector House 27, just came in._

MED - TEK JUDGE HARPER. V.O.

 _Dredd? I need to see you A.S.A.P., can you stop by the Sector House after your shift?_

DREDD.

 _Burning the midnight oil Harper? On my way._

Dredd pulls out of the Judge Observation Point on Robert Downey Jr. Pedway and heads for the Expressway. Twenty minutes later he pulls into the Sub - Basement of Sector House 27, parking his Lawmaster in a free space, he takes the elevator to the Sector House Forensics lab. The severely mutilated victims of the earlier slaying are arrayed on slabs, holographic X - Ray projections of the victims at the head of each slab.

HARPER.

 _You were right about this one not smelling right Dredd, it stinks. Somebody has gone to a lot of trouble to make this look like a Thrill Kill Kult slaying, but from what I've discovered it looks like an execution._

He goes over to the Ballistics section of the laboratory, and picks up the spent shell casing.

HARPER.

 _10 mm, Remington - Colt, Semi Automatic. Standard Citi - Def weapon. This round was fired at approximately the same time as the murders. Tests on the 10 milimeters at Miley Cyrus Citi - Def Armoury show none of them have been fired in over two weeks, which coincides with their scheduled monthly weapons drill on the Sector House firing range. I'm thinking it could be a gang execution, a lot of Remington - Colts went missing in that Mega City Two arms shipment hi - jack a few months back._

DREDD.

 _No that doesn't add up, gang executions are usually to send a message, or serve as an example or warning. Why would they go to the trouble of covering it up? There's something more to this case, what have you found out from the bodies?_

HARPER.

 _Well I've only autopsied two of the victims so far, they were executed. The slugs were extracted then the corpses were mutilated to hide the fact they had been shot. They were very thorough, but not quite thorough enough._

The Med - Tek Judge drops a bloodied bullet into Dredd's gloved hand.

HARPER.

 _Remington - Colt 10 mm. Pulled it out of the ribcage of one of the victims._

Dredd tosses the slug up and down a few times, lost in thought.

DREDD.

 _Anything else?_

HARPER.

 _That's all I've got for now, here's the list of the victims, seven reasonably law abiding citizens, a few minor convictions for jaywalking, littering, nothing serious. No apparent connection between any of them._

DREDD.

 _So we've got perp or perps unknown, Citi - Def weaponry, that can manage to abduct seven random people at the busiest time of the day, march them down to the Block basement and execute them, without anybody noticing? Still doesn't add up._

Dredd tosses the bloody slug a few more times.

DREDD.

 _Any leads with the writing on the wall?_

HARPER.

 _Helter Skelter? Justice Department database reports it was a phrase scrawled on the walls of victims of a 20th century Thrill Kill Kult, the Manson Family. I'll get started on the rest of the autopsies, see what I can find out from the corpses._

DREDD.

 _OK, good work so far Harper. I'm rostered on day shift, but call me day or night as soon as you find anything_.

Probably won't get much sleep tonight thought Dredd as he rode his Lawmaster back to his Hab - Unit at Rowdy Yates Con - Apts. Something about the case smelt familiar to Dredd, but whatever it was he just couldn't place as yet.

S.J.S. Division Deputy Chief Judge Severan's office. Justice Central. 0300 Hours. Severan, Deputy Chief Judge Emerson, PSI Division Deputy Chief Judge Mordecai and Tek Division Chief Judge Brody a member of the Council of Five, are all seated around Severan's desk. Severan activates an A.P. Scrambler, screening the office from electronic and psi surveillance.

DEPUTY CHIEF JUDGE EMERSON.

 _Events are proceeding as planned, Dredd will be off the streets in a few days. The only snag is I wasn't able to prevent him from investigating the Miley Cyrus hit, but he will have to hand over the case when he is sworn in as a Council member on Friday, I don't think he will crack the case by then._

SEVERAN.

 _I'm still proposing we take Dredd out_ , _I would feel a lot better with him out of the frame permanently._

EMERSON.

 _And in the almost certain eventuality the hit fails, all you'll do is raise his suspicions. You saw what happened with Grice's attempt to take out Dredd before the Democratic Referendum. Once Dredd picks up the scent he won't rest until he has taken us all down._

SEVERAN.

 _Judge Grice's plot was hastily conceived, poorly planned and sloppily executed, we won't repeat his mistakes._

TEK JUDGE BRODY.

 _This is a much better plan, this way we get Dredd off the street and I will tie him up with so much Council paperwork and bureaucratic red tape, he won't have time to eat or sleep, let alone think about criminal investigations._

PSI JUDGE MORDECAI.

 _The Squad are very thorough at "cleaning" and "dressing" the scenes, the victims records have all been "sanitised", I don't think the investigation is going to uncover any evidence, and even if it does it will only point to a rogue Citi - Def unit._

EMERSON.

 _And come Friday I will have someone on the case, I will appoint Judge Lewis. By next week the case will be closed with the official report stating it was a random Thrill Kill slaying._

SEVERAN.

 _Lewis isn't one of us surely? The man is so incompetent I'm surprised he can find his feet in the morning to put his boots on. I don't know how the hell he scraped through the Academy and survived his rookie year on the streets._

BRODY.

 _Sometimes it can be useful to have a tame idiot on hand. If any suspicions are raised over his handling of the investigation, it will be put down to his ineptitude, there is nothing that can lead back to us._

SEVERAN.

 _OK, but I will stand down the Squad. At least until the heat has died down a bit._

EMERSON.

 _I was going to suggest that anyway, it won't hurt to postpone the operation for a few weeks. Alright gentlemen we meet again next week for a strategy review, stay alert until then._

The conspirators leave the office one by one to avoid being seen by the Admin. night shift. The nights surveillance camera footage would be "sanitised" by Tek judges involved in the conspiracy.

1920 Hours. Mega City Broadcasting Corporation Studios. On the set of "Talk of The Meg" hosted by Jose Rivera. Technicians are scurrying about the set adjusting lighting, checking the guest's microphones, make - up people are making last minute touch ups, the producer is talking to the control room, he gives the thumbs up sign as a Tek makes an adjustment.

PRODUCER.

 _Ten minutes people. The Crime Blitz wrap - up, station promo and then we're live._

He watches the Studio monitor, the Crime Blitz logo flashes onscreen.

ANNOUNCER. V.O.

 _Real Citizens, Real Crimes, it's back to...Crime Blitz._

REPORTER. V.O.

 _We're here at Randy Quaid Block where Judges are set to raid a suspected Slo - Mo lab._

The camera pans around showing a squad of Judges prepping for the bust, the picture cuts to an exterior view, Judges are taking up positions covering the warehouse's street entrances and exits. Back inside Randy Quaid Block the reporter approaches the Judge in charge.

REPORTER. V.O.

 _Judge Steele, could we have a few words for the citizens at home?_

The camera zooms in for a closeup on Judge Steele.

JUDGE STEELE. V.O.

 _Get that Drokking camera out of my face before I shove it up your arse and book you on an Obstruction of Justice charge._

The picture jumps wildly as the Judge shoves the camera operator out of the way.

JUDGE STEELE. V.O.

 _All units, GO, GO, GO._

The producer notices a small technical problem and talks to the control room, after a few minutes the fault is corrected, and he turns his attention back to the monitor. The Judges are leading out the handcuffed drug manufacturers and putting them into H - Wagons. The last handcuffed perps to be put into an H - Wagon are...the Crime Blitz reporter and cameraman. Cut to Station Promo.

ANNOUNCER. V.O.

 _Coming up tonight on Iron Chef it's a face - off between Nautical Culinary Cuisineartiste Cookdroid Cookie and Robot Master Chef Call Me Kenneth. Rad - Storms, Mutants, Lawless Scum, At 2130 it's Survivor: Cursed Earth, what new challenges are in store for the contestants? At 2230 it's My Embarrassing Mutation followed by I'm an Android Get Me Out of Here. Over on the Documentary Channel it's On The Run, tonight's profile is on The Angel Gang, a frank and intimate portrait of one of the Cursed Earth's most notorious criminal families, followed by Rad - Waste Truckers at 2230. Coming up next it's Talk of The Meg with Jose Rivera, followed by White Trash Showcase on the Jethro Springer Show, Jethro's guests include LaDawne Britny - Lyn Erland and her stunning confession " I Gave Birth to My Granddaddy's Mutant Frog Baby" and convicted bigamist Eland Ellings tells how he married over 150 women in one year._

Cut to Ad Break.

PRODUCER.

 _OK folks we are live in 3, 2..._

The show's theme music plays, and the audience applaud as the Intro plays on screen.

RIVERA.

 _My first guests tonight are Joad Varustrike and Mella Ravoche the President and Assistant Secretary for the Democratic Reform League, please give them a warm welcome._

The audience applauds as Rivera greets the Guests and they are seated.

RIVERA.

 _Welcome to the show. First up I would like to raise the issue of the recent wave of Sector House bombings, Democratic terrorist organisation Total War has claimed responsibilty for acts that claimed the lives of over twenty Judges and Justice Department ancilliary staff._

VARUSTRIKE.

 _Well Jose I would like to state that the Democratic Reform League is an organisation that is fiercely dedicated to the Democratic principles of non violent protest, we strongly condemn any acts of terrorism comitted in the name of Democracy and our deepest sympathies are with the families of those killed. But people can't forget that innocent blood has been spilled on both sides, the first anniversary of the massacre of eight people by the Judges on the 2112 Democratic March is approaching. Eight people who were protesting peacefully, eight people who had no afilliations to any terrorist organisations, murdered by the Judges._

RIVERA.

 _What ocurred on the Democratic March was a tragic event, of that there's no doubt, but surely only the result of a horrible mistake by a single Judge, not Justice Department sanctioned murder? As well trained as Judges are, they are still only human, they can make mistakes._

VARUSTRIKE.

 _That is true Jose, but under a Democratic system the Judges wouldn't have the power to arbitrarily execute people._

RIVERA.

 _Which brings me to the second issue I would like to raise. The Judges allowed the Democratic Referendum, they gave the people the choice and the Judges mandate was returned overwhlmingly. Democracy was served, the people voted and they voted for the Judges. There are those that feel that as Democrats you should accept the people's choice graciously, they see you as petulant children throwing a tantrum and stamping your feet because you didn't get your own way._

RAVOCHE.

 _What you have to understand about the vote Jose is, only 57 percent of the people voted, and over half of them didn't understand the issue anyway. People have become conditioned to this system, they're institutionalised. They won't know they want freedom until they actually taste it._

VARUSTRIKE.

 _Our main purpose tonight was to publicise the Memorial Service, we want people to know and appreciate those that died for them, it's for Bethann Rosie, Cheevo Henders, Shirav Zolotky, Cluve Jennett, Hester Hyman, Gade Strelk, Kempo Nang and Akyrah Drozer._

As he speaks, the images of the slain protesters are played on the giant monitor screen at the back of the Talk of The Meg set.

RIVERA.

 _The Memorial Service will be held at 1330 on Sunday the 18th at The Church of Divine Providence 1356 Richard Dawkins Avenue. We'll be right back after a short break with my next guests, rock band Kiss_ _TM INC._ _, the 13th incarnation of the long running Rock and Roll franchise._

The audience applauds.


End file.
